On Feb 14, 2013, at 8:57 AM, Karen Coyle wrote: > EVERYONE should know some code. see: > http://laboratorium.net/archive/2013/01/16/my_career_as_a_bulk_downloader > > But it's hard to find the classes that teach "coding for everyone". This would be a good thing for c4l'ers to do in their institutions. How to write the short script you need to do something practical. Also, how to throw a few things into a database so you can re-munge it or explore some connections. We need those classes. We need to turn a room in the library into a hacker space for the staff. A learning lab. I just realized that the e-mails from Chris Erdmann a couple of weeks back were *not* on code4lib ... he's running a class on programming for librarians (specifically for processing data), and in a couple of weeks, they're going to have a workshop on interfaces at Harvard. See below. Also, a blog post from last month arguing that all librarians should know how to program: http://altbibl.io/dst4l/109/ -Joe ps. personally, I *hate* the term coder ... one, it make me think 'code monkey', and what I do is much more involved than that (analyst, architect, sysadmin, dba, programing, debugging, tech support, etc.). If I had a MLS, I might be a 'Systems Librarian', but I have a MIM (Info. Management ... still an LIS degree, but not the same accreditation); It's still easier to tell the library community that's what I am, and it's easier to explain what I do to the science by telling them I'm a 'data librarian'.* Two, 'coding' is a relatively minor skill. It's like putting 'typist' as a job title, because you use your keyboard a lot at work. Figuring out what needs to be written/typed/coded is more important than the actual writing aspect of it. As for titles, over the years, I've had the job title of : Programmer/Analyst Systems Analyst Software Engineer UNIX Engineer Multimedia Applications Analyst Short Guy with Beard (which was only funny because there was a much shorter guy with a more impressive beard) Web Developer Webmaster (back when it meant the person who administered the service, not the person who made the website) System Administrator ... etc. (I've had a lot as the university I worked at tied titles to pay rate, so every promotion required getting new business cards; right now, I work for a contractor, and the contractor gives me different titles than what NASA has me down as ... it's important what roles that I play, and the work that I do than what category someone's lumped me in. If you're going to insist on it, I'd rather it be broad, like 'techie' than just a 'coder'.) * and to make it more confusing, my company's title for me is 'Principal Software Engineer', but I don't meet the requirements to be an engineer. I went to an ABET accredited engineering program, but never took the EIT/FE or PE tests. So I try to avoid the 'engineer' titles, too. Begin forwarded message: > From: [log in to unmask] > Date: February 7, 2013 6:57:37 AM EST > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [PAMNET] Liberact Workshop and Data Scientist Training for Librarians > Reply-To: [log in to unmask] > > Good morning! > > Just a reminder to those thinking about interactive technologies in libraries, this workshop may be of interest: > http://altbibl.io/liberact/ > > Also, we just started a course called Data Scientist Training for Librarians. Follow along here: > http://altbibl.io/dst4l/blog/ > > Please forward to interested colleagues. > > Best regards, > Christopher Erdmann, Head Librarian > Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Begin forwarded message: > From: [log in to unmask] > Date: January 25, 2013 5:06:58 PM EST > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [PAMNET] Liberact Workshop Feb 28 - Mar 1 @ Harvard > Reply-To: [log in to unmask] > > To individuals interested in interactive technologies in libraries, this > event is for you. > > The Liberact Workshop aims to bring librarians and developers together > to discuss and brainstorm interactive, gesture-based systems for library > settings. An array of gesture-based technologies will be demonstrated on > the first day with presentations, brainstorming and discussions taking > place on the second day. The workshop will be held at the Radcliffe > Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard University in Cambridge, > Massachusetts, and takes place February 28 - March 1. > > Visit the Liberact Workshop website to learn more: > > http://altbibl.io/liberact > > To register, visit the Eventbrite page for the workshop: > > https://liberact.eventbrite.com > > We hope you will join us! > > Christopher Erdmann, Martin Schreiner, Lynn Schmelz, Susan Berstler, > Paul Worster, Enrique Diaz, Lynn Sayers, Michael Leach